HIPAA Privacy Regulations

HIPAA Privacy Regulations

The Tennessee Poison Center understands your concerns about patient confidentiality and the HIPAA regulations. The final rule, published in December 28, 2000 volume of the Federal Register, states that poison control centers are health care providers: 65 FR 82626 - http://www.fpicn.org/Pages%20from%20Federal%20Register_Hippa.pdf

Covered entities are permitted to share protected health information for the purpose of treatment activities without needing patient authorization (45 CFR 164.506(c)(2)). HIPAA regulations are not meant to impede patient treatment activities. As a healthcare provider who has been consulted on this case, we ask only for the appropriate information that we need to help assist in the management of the overdose or poisoning.